Do you honestly think I:1. Have enough time to read every single post on this site?2. Am qualified enough to pass judgement on every scenario?

And that is exactly why I'm saying your rule isn't going to help you. Now if you're going to enforce your rule, you're going to have to delete any posts by anon users that dont include pictures, and they'll come back asking why their post was deleted, you'll tell them why and lock it, they'll make a post that they dont have a camera etc.

It's not easy being a moderator, I appreciate that, but you must realise this new rule of yours isn't going to make it any easier.

If your new suggestion involves restricting anonymous posting in some way, it's probably going to get locked or deleted.

Years ago people felt they belonged to a community here on the site and they welcomed newcomers. That's what drew me in and probably what drew you in, too --- unfailing friendliness, help, and welcome, offered freely by more people than you could shake a stick at.

But the world around us has changed, not all the changes are good, and the current "let's keep them out" attitude around us has affected the site. Adversely.

Today some people want to build walls around the site and want to keep others out. The easy target is anonymous posters, and we've seen thread after hostile thread suggesting ways to keep them off the site, or restrict their use of the site. This hostility is quite visible to new people, reading or posting here for the first time. It makes the site look exclusionary and mean.

Trying to turn away good information, good opinion, and good people is a terrible idea. That was never what this site is about, and it isn't now. New readers are wanted and welcomed here as always, and if they don't feel like going through the problem of setting up an account at first (or at all) their contributions are just as welcome as if they're longtime members. Anonymous posters have been and are a source of a tremendous amount of contributions to the community. Many members read and posted anonymously for awhile, and finally joined because they felt welcomed and they wanted to pitch in and help.

This is a living, online community that we're inviting people into. It's not a fortress we're trying to protect. We need more welcomes, less barbed wire.

If your new suggestion involves restricting anonymous posting in some way, it's probably going to get locked or deleted.

Years ago people felt they belonged to a community here on the site and they welcomed newcomers. That's what drew me in and probably what drew you in, too --- unfailing friendliness, help, and welcome, offered freely by more people than you could shake a stick at.

But the world around us has changed, not all the changes are good, and the current "let's keep them out" attitude around us has affected the site. Adversely.

Today some people want to build walls around the site and want to keep others out. The easy target is anonymous posters, and we've seen thread after hostile thread suggesting ways to keep them off the site, or restrict their use of the site. This hostility is quite visible to new people, reading or posting here for the first time. It makes the site look exclusionary and mean.

Trying to turn away good information, good opinion, and good people is a terrible idea. That was never what this site is about, and it isn't now. New readers are wanted and welcomed here as always, and if they don't feel like going through the problem of setting up an account at first (or at all) their contributions are just as welcome as if they're longtime members. Anonymous posters have been and are a source of a tremendous amount of contributions to the community. Many members read and posted anonymously for awhile, and finally joined because they felt welcomed and they wanted to pitch in and help.

This is a living, online community that we're inviting people into. It's not a fortress we're trying to protect. We need more welcomes, less barbed wire.

Sadly, this site is already exclusionary and mean in many forums. Some are downright hostile to any new participants. Nothing is done about it and fatness' nice corporate missive is almost completely at odds with the reality. Restricting unregistered posting won't help that except to maybe keeping the few who complain about it from complaining. Very few people identify themselves on a forum with real life information so essentially almost everyone is an "anonymous poster".

Sadly, this site is already exclusionary and mean in many forums. Some are downright hostile to any new participants. Nothing is done about it and fatness' nice corporate missive is almost completely at odds with the reality. Restricting unregistered posting won't help that except to maybe keeping the few who complain about it from complaining.

Oh, I'm very aware of that. However the vast majority of the unregistered users here don't wander past the front page discussions or post in them, and whether they can post or not really doesn't affect page views anyway.

I'd rather see this energy put toward cleaning up the issues in the forums instead, most of which are caused by registered users and moderators.

I'd rather see this energy put toward cleaning up the issues in the forums instead, most of which are caused by registered users and moderators.

Perhaps you should hang out here and spend your time trying to help the anon postings which don't make sense and the anon never shows back up.

It is possible that this isn't the best way to go about it. I would hate to see this forum changed to a private forum like the Health and Fitness forum? But that maybe the best solution. Help and answers for DSLR members only -- no drive by shooting!

Oh, I'm very aware of that. However the vast majority of the unregistered users here don't wander past the front page discussions or post in them, and whether they can post or not really doesn't affect page views anyway.

I'd rather see this energy put toward cleaning up the issues in the forums instead, most of which are caused by registered users and moderators.

I can't understand why so many anon trolls come here in the first place. Does this forum rank high for basic keywords on Google? Why don't trolls go to other registration mandated DIY Vbulletin board out there? or this the only home improvement DIY board whose mod has the patience of a religious prophet before locking or deleting?